


fever pitch

by thisissirius



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Weddings, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23031043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisissirius/pseuds/thisissirius
Summary: “You okay?”Buck looks down at his drink, not sure how to answer. “Christopher having fun?”“Yes,” Eddie stresses, “But not the question I asked.”
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 56
Kudos: 827





	fever pitch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LouiseLouise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouiseLouise/gifts).



> another tumblr prompt :)

Maddie looks beautiful.

Buck doesn’t think she’s stopped smiling all day and he doesn’t blame her. It might be her second wedding but this one is definitely gonna stick, and Buck’s happy for her. She’s currently being whirled around the dance floor by a laughing Jason, and Chim’s getting much the same treatment from Hen. 

Sometimes Buck doesn’t know how he got so lucky. His family’s been growing steadily since he moved to LA and he’ll never be sorry for it. His actual parents are around somewhere, probably networking or whatever the fuck it is they’re doing these days, but Buck’s having too good a time to care. The family he’s made for himself, the ones who spend time with him day to day, who come when he calls?

They’re all on the dance floor or seated around the tables, drinking, laughing, and enjoying the company. Buck’s taking five. He knows Maddie’ll drag him onto the dance floor eventually, insistent that they make memories - something she’s done with the pre-wedding arrangements, the ceremony, and the photos thus far. Buck gets it. Her last wedding was a disaster in every way, and Chimney’s the best thing that’s ever happened to her, but something about Buck’s smile feels fixed and he hates it. 

He wants his happiness to be genuine, and it _is_ , but it’s hard when your own lack of happiness is so glaringly obvious. 

“You being a wallflower?”

Buck raises his eyebrows, gestures at the table bang smack in the middle of four others. “You see a wall?”

Eddie rolls his eyes and drops into the seat next to Buck’s. He looks good - always does if Buck’s being honest with himself, but even more so in his suit. He joked about wearing his dress blues but Chim threatened to ban him from the venue, and Buck’s still silently grateful. He can control himself (barely) when Eddie’s wearing a suit, but having seen Eddie in his dress blues, he’s definitely sure he’d have played hooky. 

Okay, no, because he loves his sister, but the point stands. 

Eddie + uniform = fuck. Literally. 

(Buck wishes). 

“You okay?”

Buck looks down at his drink, not sure how to answer. “Christopher having fun?”

“Yes,” Eddie stresses, “But not the question I asked.”

“I’m fine,” Buck says, and the smile is easy - he’s happy for his sister, after all. Sometimes he forgets that Eddie knows him better than he knows himself. 

“Buck.” Eddie’s expression is soft when Buck meets his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

So many things, Buck thinks, but doesn’t say it. He shrugs, swirls the drink in his glass and looks back at the dancefloor. Chim’s back with Maddie, and she’s staring at him like he’s the best thing she’s ever seen. “I thought she’d never be happy, you know?”

Eddie’s watching him, Buck can feel the weight of his gaze, but he doesn’t look back. 

“After Doug, I wondered what would happen. She was doing well and then fucked things up with that woman. I wanted to help her, but it was bad timing.” Buck makes a face. The last year’s not been kind to the Buckley siblings. “Then she and Chim-”

“You’re happy for her,” Eddie says, and something about his tone sends a shiver down Buck’s spine. 

“Yeah, of course.” Buck sighs, tapping a finger against the table. 

“Buck,” Eddie says eventually when the silence drags. Buck looks up. 

“I’m jealous,” Buck snaps, biting the words out and grateful it’s not one of those embarrassing moments when the music stops. The last thing he wants is for Maddie to know. “She’s happy and I want that for her, I do, but it makes me realize-”

Eddie picks up where he trails off. “That you’re lonely?”

Buck bites back on an affirmative. 

“Come on,” Eddie says, abruptly standing. 

“What?”

“Up,” Eddie says, and Buck allows himself to be tugged to his feet. 

Buck frowns, can see the dance floor over Eddie’s shoulder. There’s a slow song Buck doesn’t recognize playing, and most of the guests have partnered off. The kids are off in a corner, giggling about something, and Buck spots Chris, peering over the crowd to grin. He smiles back, not realizing that he’s on the dancefloor until Eddie’s hand rests on his hip and he’s jerked back to the moment. 

“Eddie,” he starts. 

“Go with it, Buck,” Eddie says. 

There’s little Buck will refuse Eddie and he rolls his eyes but lets Eddie lead. “Are we really doing this? Are we really slow dancing?”

“Shut up, Evan.” The words are softer than the meaning implies, and Buck’s mouth does shut. He stares at Eddie, hyperfocused on the hand on his waist, the other pressed to the back of Buck’s neck. “Just go with it, all right?”

“Eddie,” Buck says, a little hysterically. This is much too close to things he’s dreamed of in the privacy of his own home. “What-”

“I keep waiting for you to catch up,” Eddie says quietly. He strokes his fingers down the nape of Buck’s neck, then up into his hair. It’s soothing, sending pleasurable shivers through Buck’s body. “Thought maybe you weren’t interested until I realized you were just really good at self-sabotage.”

Buck frowns. “What are you talking about?”

Eddie’s smile is warm, and something unclenches in Buck. He swallows as Eddie leans in. “You wanna relax for me?”

There’s a voice whispering in the back of Buck’s head that he should probably find this irritating, but he doesn’t. He tries to do what Eddie’s asked and blows out a slow breath, leaning into Eddie’s touch. 

“There you go,” Eddie says quietly, as Buck leans in, rests his forehead on Eddie’s shoulder. There isn’t the hugest difference in height between them, but enough that it could be awkward after a while. Buck doesn’t care, not when Eddie’s hand scratches lightly at his scalp, mouth whispering gently against his ear. “You can’t mess this up, Evan. Not with me.”

Buck’s breath hitches. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

They’re still moving across the dance floor; Buck’s peripherally aware of people around them, of the music crooning over the odd silence in the hall, of Eddie’s body pressed against him. He’s desperately wanted for so long, he’s probably just tired of fighting. 

Eddie laughs gently, kissing Buck’s jaw gently. “I’m a sure thing, Buckley. Let yourself be happy.”

Buck pulls back, startled. “Eddie, I-”

“Hey,” Eddie says, and Buck wants to be able to finish a sentence sometime soon, but he waits anyway. Eddie presses a thumb to Buck’s bottom lip, his eyes darkening a little as if he’s contemplating what it would be like to press something else to Buck’s lips. _Please_ , Buck wants to say. “You love me.”

Statement, not question. 

Panic blossoms in Buck’s chest but Eddie’s grip tightens and he can’t run, can’t make himself run. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Eddie shakes Buck a little, smiles so wide it’s gotta hurt. “Buck, I love you. How could you not already know that?”

Self-sabotage, Buck thinks, and then _oh._

“I’m lonely,” Buck starts, pressing his forehead to Eddie’s. Eddie’s hand moves to his cheek, the other still tight on his hip. “Except when I’m with you and Chris.”

“I know,” Eddie says quietly. “You think it’s not the same for me?”

“I’ll mess it up.” Buck’s throat is so thick the words almost don’t come. “Eddie, I can’t-”

Eddie pauses, waits, but Buck doesn’t know what else to say. “You haven’t so far.”

“It’s different,” Buck says, brow furrowing.

Eddie raises his eyebrows. “Why? You co-parent my kid, you stay over more nights than you don’t, and except for sexual contact,” something so clinical shouldn’t sound so sexy when pitched that low, “we’re more intimate than some of the couples I know.” Eddie presses forward, though Buck doesn’t think there’s much space left. Another slow song follows the first, and Buck isn’t sure if he’s grateful or desperate to run. “All you have to do is jump.”

Buck opens his mouth, closes it. He sways to the music, follows Eddie for a bit, and then lifts his own hand to Eddie’s face. It’s shaking, and he’s afraid this is a dream. Eddie’s real under his hands. Really touching him, really looking at him like that, really saying those words. “You’ll catch me.”

It’s not a question, but Eddie answers him anyway. “Don’t I always?”

**Author's Note:**

> hit me up on [tumblr](http://thisissirius.tumblr.com) :)


End file.
